Unexpected
by EscapingAFairytale
Summary: After the night of Ron's poisoning, Hermione finds herself chatting with Ginny and unexpectedly eavesdropping on a private conversation between Lavender and Parvati.


Hermione Granger could not believe herself. Of all the times she had stopped communicating with Ron in any way, she would never had expected to immediately want to reconcile and forget. She didn't know if she could even get the chance to tell him as he was in Hospital Wing, poisoned by mead. Hermione wanted to rip the supposed killer to shreds.

The day had seemed like it had lasted a week; One minute Hermione was doing her Transfiguration essay with Ginny and the next Colin Creevey had burst in, spreading the news that they were carrying Ron's body up to the Hospital Wing. Ginny had immediately put her quill down and Hermione felt heat rush through her veins. The walk, it seemed, had taken hours. Hermione was praying and praying that Ron was fine, and that he would wake up…

And they got the news. _Ron's going to be fine_. She remembered Harry's words. _Fine. _But she could definitely tell they were uncertain words. Ronald Weasley – her most favorite and most unluckiest person she had ever met – was at risk of – she tried to keep her mind shut – death. _No_, thought Hermione, _No_…

But it was_ he_ who had betrayed _her. _Six years, she was "wasting" her time on Ron. And she didn't need him. All the times he had hurt her…first year, with his rude and vulgar comments on her cleverness; third year, with Scabbers missing and taking the blame on Crookshanks, and fourth year, when she had gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum.

Hermione wondered if that was the reason he had kissed Lavender. She wondered if that was the reason to the entire mess. Lavender Brown. _Such a stupid name_, she thought to herself. _You've got the "brown" – why need another color? _But Lavender Brown…she was thinking about _the _Lavender Brown. If Hermione was put in a room standing next to Lavender a man would obviously run to her.

_That's _why she could not help but express hatred towards Lavender. _That's _why she had felt she had lost Ron forever to a colorful, giggly, air – headed witch.

Hermione turned and winced as she heard a sudden noise. She squeezed her wand in her hand tightly, jumped into her bed and feigned sleep. The steps were coming closer. She wondered whether it was Lavender. She shut her eyes closed.

The steps grew louder, but she could not hear any words. And then the stops ceased. She felt weight at the end of her bed…

She turned around. There, wearing a thick Weasley sweater, sat Ginny, her cheeks bright scarlet.

"_Ginny_!" said Hermione, clutching her chest and feeling greatly relieved. "Wha – what're you doing here?"

"I came here to see what you were doing," she replied tartly.

"Well, if you don't mind," said Hermione with dignity, fixing her eyes about a foot over Ginny's head, "what I'm doing is going to bed, so –"

"No, you weren't," replied Ginny, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

"Wha – "

"Since _when _have you been able to sleep well after something's happened, Hermione?"

Hermione nearly dropped her wand.

"I mean, _come on_," said Ginny. "R – remember the third task? You couldn't sleep before that day."

Hermione stared at her feet. Ginny rushed on.

"He's going to be fine."

"Who?" said Hermione stupidly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ron, of course."

"How do _you _know that?" asked Hermione, feeling her face heat up. "How does _anybody _in the school know that?"

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Madam Pompfrey knows," she said skeptically. "And she's a certified healer."

Hermione couldn't hold back; she felt a tear trickle down her cheek. Ginny hugged her.

"Ron's fine," she cooed. Hermione could feel even her voice trembling. She let go. "Madam Pompfrey says that he'll wake up sometimes tomorrow. He'll be fixed up and recovered in no time."

Hermione nodded. "Th –thanks, Ginny," she said, wiping her tears. "Really, thanks."

Ginny smiled and patted her back. "Get some rest. I'm going to bed – first Ron's poisoned and now Dean's acting like a complete …well, good night," she added, catching sight of Hermione's raised eyebrows.

"Thanks again, Ginny," said Hermione, getting up as well.

"No problem," said Ginny, beaming.

Hermione nodded and watched her exit the dormitory. After she was sure she was out of earshot, Hermione gingerly picked up her wand and played with it, until red sparks ignited.

"_Romilda_!"

Hermione sat up; she had heard another voice.

"Romilda? Romilda Vane, you mean?"

"_Yes_!"

"But – "

"I know! This has never happened!"

Before she knew it, Hermione was at the door, ready to hear another word. The way the person had said "Romilda" made her certain it was _Lavender Brown_. And she was pretty sure the other one was Parvati. Hermione quietly climbed out of the dormitory door and tip toed down the stairs and squatted by the tiny space of wall beside the stairs entrance, ready to hear another word.

Lavender was sobbing hysterically; Hermione heard Parvati trying to hush her and patting her on the back slowly.

"And then he told me to leave him alone!" screeched Lavender. "_Me_!"

Hermione couldn't help but let out a tiny snort.

'Well, remember _Witch Weekly_?" asked Parvati. "It – it says that one of the keys to having a perfect relationship is giving some _space_."

"But I do give him space!" squealed Lavender.

Hermione could not seem to hold it; she giggled silently into her palms.

"Just – just forget about it, all right?" said Parvati, her voice tired. "It's nothing. Who knows, it could have been a potion."

"I doubt that," said Lavender darkly. "C'mon, let's go to bed."

Hermione at once retreated to her dormitory, took of her shoes, picked up a random book and jumped on her bed.

Lavender and Parvati had come into the room.

"Hi, Lavender!" said Hermione kindly, beaming.

"Mmm," said Lavender, rather rudely. Parvati shrugged apologetically; Hermione nodded, understanding the situation.

"Er – we should – go to bed now," said Lavender awkwardly.

"Yeah," said Parvati, her tired eyes still fixed upon Hermione, who only noticed she was smiling to herself.

Lavender and Parvati yawned simultaneously.

Hermione slammed her book shut and threw it gently onto the nearby drawers. "I'm quite tired, too," said Hermione. "It's been a long day, you know."

"Mmm," repeated Lavender, in the same type of impolite manner.

Parvati's tired eyes were still fixed upon Hermione, who tried her very best to avoid them.

"Well, sleep tight, you two," said Hermione sweetly.

"Mmm."

Hermione found Lavender's slur for "yes" quite irritating.

"Sorry," mouthed Parvati, who was behind Lavender. Then, unexpectedly, she brought her index finger to the side of her head and started twisting it, explaining as if Lavender had some type of natural disorder.

Hermione smiled back, though this time into her palms. It had been a long day, it had.


End file.
